the monsters

i used to think they lived on the floor, hiding in shadows just under my door breathing in silence, waiting at night, moving in corners just out of sight i’d pull up the covers, stay still, don’t peek— afraid if i moved they’d finally speak but i’m older now, and i finally see— the monsters i feared look a lot like me they whisper in doubts, they hide in my head, they don’t need the dark or space under my bed they show up in thoughts i can’t outrun, turning small worries into a ton and no matter where i go or how far i get, they follow me close— i don’t outgrow them yet but maybe they’re not what i thought all along, not something to fear, just something gone wrong so i don’t check under my bed anymore… i face what’s inside me instead of the floor.